Pale stool Assessment Questionnaire

Why: to determine if acute or chronic.

Why: some medical conditions may cause obstructive or cholestatic jaundice including gallstones, cancer of the pancreas, cancer of the bile duct, strictures of the bile duct; sclerosing cholangitis is a cause of jaundice and may be associated with ulcerative colitis; Primary biliary cirrhosis may be associated with Sjogren's syndrome, scleroderma and rheumatoid arthritis; Steatorrhea (fatty, pale colored, extremely smelly stools that float in the toilet and are difficult to flush away) is due to excess fat in the stool and are characteristic of malabsorption of nutrients which may be due to celiac disease, chronic pancreatitis, previous gastrectomy and cystic fibrosis.

Why: e.g. certain anesthetics such as halothane may cause cholestatic jaundice; gastrectomy may cause steatorrhea (fatty, pale colored, extremely smelly stools that float in the toilet and are difficult to flush away due to excess fat in the stool and are characteristic of malabsorption of nutrients).

Why: many medications may cause cholestatic jaundice including isoniazid, methyldopa, halothane, ketoconazole, niacin, nitrofurantoin, disulfiram, rifampin, testosterone, propylthiouracil, oral contraceptives, mercury.

Why: e.g. recent consumption of shellfish may suggest Hepatitis a infection that can cause cholestatic jaundice with pale stool.

Why: e.g. Gilbert's syndrome, Dubin-Johnson syndrome, Rotor syndrome.

Why: may suggest risk of alcoholic hepatitis or cirrhosis which may cause cholestatic jaundice with pale stools.

Why: increase the risk of hepatitis B and hepatitis C infection that can cause cholestatic jaundice with pale stools.

Why: to determine risk of hepatitis B infection that may cause jaundice with pale stools.

Why: to determine if travel is to areas with an increased risk of Hepatitis A infection, yellow fever, malaria, dengue fever, Ebola virus, Marberg virus.

Why: e.g. exposure to hazards or animals (e.g. toxoplasmosis, leptospirosis, Q fever).

Why: e.g. carbon tetrachloride is a cleaning chemical that causes liver damage if inhaled or swallowed.

Why: e.g. yellowing if skin, yellowing of the sclera of the eyes and dark colored urine. If pale stool is present with yellowing of the skin and sclera and dark urine, this suggests obstructive or cholestatic type jaundice such as gallstones, cancer of the pancreas, cancer of the bile duct, strictures of the bile duct, pancreatitis, some medications, recurrent jaundice of pregnancy, sclerosing cholangitis, viral hepatitis, cirrhosis of the liver and alcoholic hepatitis.

Why: In a person with jaundice and pale stool may suggest common duct stones, sclerosing cholangitis, pancreatic cancer, bile duct cancer, pancreatitis, viral or alcoholic hepatitis.

Why: If pale stool is present with itching of the skin, this suggests obstructive or cholestatic liver disease such as viral hepatitis, alcoholic hepatitis, recurrent jaundice of pregnancy, primary biliary cirrhosis, common bile duct gallstones, cancer of the bile ducts, cholangitis, pancreatitis, biliary stricture, some medications.

Why: If weight loss is associated with jaundice and pale stool may suggest pancreas or bile duct cancer; if weight loss and pale stool without jaundice must consider steatorrhea.

Why: e.g. fatty, pale colored, extremely smelly stools that float in the toilet and are difficult to flush away is called steatorrhea due to excess fat in the stool and are characteristic of malabsorption of nutrients which may be due to celiac disease, chronic pancreatitis, previous gastrectomy and cystic fibrosis. Pale colored diarrhea stools may also occur with Giardia and viral hepatitis.

Why: In a person with jaundice and pale stool may suggest cholangitis, viral hepatitis, pancreatitis or severe alcoholic hepatitis.

Why: these findings would suggest viral hepatitis, cholecystitis, infectious mononucleosis, leptospirosis, ascending cholangitis, hepatic vein thrombosis and toxic hepatitis.

Why: e.g. earliest symptom is itching all over but is most marked on the palms and soles. Later may develop jaundice with pale stools and enlarged liver and spleen.

Why: e.g. watery diarrhea, nausea, reduced appetite, abdominal pain and abdominal distention. Stools may later become steatorrhea (fatty, pale colored, extremely smelly stools that float in the toilet and are difficult to flush away). Weight loss may occur if the illness is prolonged.